Apparatus for cutting wheels of cheese



June 28, 1932. R. H. MAYER APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WHEELS OF CHEESE- Filed Dec. 14, 1931 Illlllll.

ROLAND H. MAYER Patented June 28, 1932 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE ROLAND H. MAYER, Q1 SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS APPARATUS FOR CUTTING WHEELS F CHEESE Application filed December 14, 1931. Serial-No. 580,951.

This invention relates to an apparatus espe- Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view cially adapted for use in cutting blocks or taken on line'6 6 of Figure 2.- wheels of cheese into segments although, the In the drawing wherein for the purpose of invention is adaptable to other uses, illustration is shown a preferred embodiment 5 Swiss and other cheese is usually put up ofthe invention, the numeral 5 generallydes- 65 by the manufacturers thereof in large circuignates a table having legs 6 supporting a lar blocks or wheels and when it is desired platform 8. V to cut the cheese into segments for distribu- Theplatform 8 is adapted to support a tion to retailers and others,a small diameter wheel or circular block of cheese 10 and at a 1 wire, such as a piano wire is drawn through point between opposite sides the platform is 60 the cheese at the desired'place but considprovided with a slot 12, extending entirely erable difliculty has been experienced in held across the platform for the reception or pasing the wire straight and pulling it through sage of a cutting wire 14 of a rather small the cheese on a true radial line. diameter so that the same may be drawn 15 Thus, animportant aim of this invention through the cheese, producing a sharp cut. 65 will be to provide a simple means by which 7. As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a pair of arms a cutting element may be mounted and guided 18 are-hinged horizontally at'the lower ends to be drawn througha block of cheese in a thereof tothe sides of the table as indicated highly convenient and expeditious manner at 20 and are provided with longitudinally 20 to cut the cheese withaccuracy and neatness extending slots 22 opening out through the 70 into sections of the desired size. upper ends of the arms and. adapted to re- A further object is to provide a cheese cut-I ceive the wire 14; to guide the same, while beting apparatus which is of highly simplified ing drawn through the cheese. construction, easy to operate and relatively The ends of the cutting wire 14 are pro- 25 cheap to manufacture and which when'not vided with cross members 26 of more or less 5 actually in use may be arranged to allow a cylindrical form, one of the cross members portion of the apparatus to be used as a table being detachably secured to one of the arms for work or other purposes. 12 through the aid of anchoring pins 28 while Other objects and advantages will be apthe other cross member forms a handle for 30 parent during the course of the following demanual engagement. More specifically, the so scription. pins 28'are extended outward and downward In the accompanying drawing, forming a from the lower portion of one of the arms18 part of this application and in which like to form an abutment for the'handle when the numerals are employed to deslgnate like parts wire is drawn through the cheese in the man throughout the same, I ner shown in Figure 2. y

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective of As shown, in Figures 1 and 2, the arms 18 the improved cheese cutting apparatus in use, are detachably connected by a combined arm Figure 2i'safragmentary vertical sectional connector and guide 30, the end portions of 7 view through" the improved cheese cutting which are provided with attaching plates 32 9o apparatus in use, having openings extending out through the Figure 3 is a sectional View taken on line sides thereof to receive portions of the arms 3 3 of Figure 2, 18. The sockets or openings in the attaching Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective of plates 32 are less in area than one-half the p 45 a combination arm connecting memberand cross-sectional area of the arms 18 so that guide for the cutting element, the attaching plates are prevented from ex- Figure 5 isfa detail horizontal sectional tending across the slots 22 and interfering View illustrating the connection between an with the free movement of the cutt ng w1re 14.

arm and the said arm connector and guide It is now pointed out that the member 30 3 for the cutting element, 3 M serves first as a guide for the cutting w1re 14 and second as a means for connecting the arms 18 to the end that these arms are mutually braced against the strain incident to the cutting operation.

In explaining the first and primary purpose of the member 30 attention is invited to Figure 1 in which it is shown that the smooth inner surface of the member 30 is immediate 1y at one side of the common'plan'e of the slots 22 so that by holding the wire against the member 30 while drawing it through they cheese a true radial cut is made.

In explaining the second function of the member 30 attention is invited to Figure 1 in which it is shown that the arms 18- bear against the vertical surfaces of the sides of the platform 8 and are therefore definitely limited in their inward swinging movement and the connection of the member 30 with the arms thus brings about a mutual bracing action between the arms so that when the wire'is drawn through the cheese and manual pressure or body pressure exerted against one of the arms, no parts will be broken or torn loose, and particularly the hinges which support the arms 18, will not be strained unnecessarily.

Thearms 18 are shown to be rather broad rovi'ding generous surfaces against which body pressure or hand pressure may be exerted to assist in drawing the wire 14: through the'cheese, it being apparent that in the case of a large and heavy block of cheese it may be desirable to bear against one of the arms 18 with the body or with one hand, while the other hand of the operator is employed to draw the wire through the cheese; In carrying out the invention the member 30 may be L-shaped in cross section or other wise formed, and suitable means'such as a close frictional fit between the attaching plates 32 and the arms may be employed to hold the member 30 in place until such time as the same isremoved.

The apparatus forming the subject of this application is capable of use in connection with blocks of cheese of various sizes and providesa simple and reliable means by which sharp cuts may be made through the cheese on the desired line to cut segments of the required size without the uncertainty and lack of neatness so annoying in other types of cheese cutters.

When the cheese cutter is in use as such, the arms 18 are, of course, arranged in the upright positions shown in full lines on Figures 1 and 2 preferably between the angle members 36 and when the apparatus is not in use, the arms may be swung down to the dotted line positions shown in Figure 2 to allow of the use of the platform 8 as a work It is to be understood that the form of invention herewith shown and described is to be taken merely as a preferred example of the same and that such minor changes in arrangement and construction of parts may be made as will remain within the spirit of the invention and the scope of what is claimed.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed is-:

1. In an apparatus for cutting blocks of cheese into segments a platform, arms horizontally hinged to the platform at points spaced below the upper surface thereof to cause the arms to engage the sides of the platform, said arms being provided with slots opening out through the upper ends thereof, and a cutting wire passing through said slots and having the end portions provided with cross members, and means to anchor one of said cross members in a relatively fixed position, the other cross member forming a handle for manual engagement.

2. In an apparatus for cutting blocks of cheese into segments, a platform, arms horizontally hinged to the platform and provided with slots opening out through the upper ends thereof, a cutting wire passing through said slots and having the end portions provided with cross members, means to anchor one of said cross members in a relatively fixed position, theother cross member forming a handle for manual engagement, and a combined arm connector and wire guide having means for engaging said arms.

3. In an apparatus for cutting blocks of cheese into segments, a platform, arms horizontally hinged to the platform and provided with slots opening out through the upper ends thereof, a cutting wire passing through said slots and having the end portions provided with cross members, means to anchor one of said cross members in a relatively fixed position, the other cross member forming a handle for manual engagement, and a combined arm connector and wire guide having means for engaging said arms, said combined arm connector and wire guide being provided with a wire engaging surface parallel to the plane of said slots.

4:. In an apparatus for cutting cheese into segments, a platform having a slot extending out through the sides of the platform, arms horizontally hinged to the platform and having slotsopening out through the ends thereof and in alignment with the slot in the platform, a cutting wire for movewent through the first and second named slots and having a cross member, means carried by one of said arms to detachably anchor said cross member thereto, a handle carried by the other end of the wire, and a combined arm connecting and wire guiding element having means detachably. engaging said arms.

5. In an apparatus for cutting blocks of cheese into smaller units, a platform, arms horizontal hinged to the platform and being providedwith slots opening out through the upper ends thereof, a wire for cuttin cheese and of a diameter to pass through sai slots, and a combined wire guide and arm connector having the end portions thereof provided with transverse openings receiving portions of said arms, said wire guide and arm connector being provided with a wire engaging surface adjacent to the plane of said slot andparallel thereto.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

ROLAND H. MAYER. 

